Cases of "walking pneumonia" have been on the rise since the spring, particularly in children, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. With the winter months and holiday gatherings approaching, here's how parents can prepare and protect their kids.
What is 'walking pneumonia'?
Different types of pneumonia are currently circulating, but walking pneumonia isn't classified as one type of lung infection, according Dr. Camille Sabella, a Cleveland Clinic Children's pediatrician. Causes can include bacteria, viruses or mold.
People with walking pneumonia may feel well enough to walk around and carry out daily tasks without realizing they have it, according to Cleveland Clinic.
"It's usually not your standard bacterial pneumonia," Sabella said in a statement. "Walking pneumonia is usually caused by something called mycoplasma pneumonia, but it can also be very, very similar to viral pneumonias as well."
Respiratory infections caused by the bacteria mycoplasma pneumoniae have increased in the U.S., especially in young children, according to the CDC.
Though there's no single, definitive cause for the spike in infections, Sabella pointed to close-knit quarters inside classrooms.
Symptoms and treatment
Walking pneumonia symptoms are typically mild, but can become severe, according to Cleveland Clinic. The symptoms include dry cough, fever, headache, fatigue and sore throat. Treatment also varies by the type of pneumonia.
Sabella urged parents to have their children vaccinated for bacterial pneumonia and flu, which can cause pneumonia, though there is no specific vaccine to prevent walking pneumonia.
“There is a very effective vaccine against many of the bacterial pneumonia strains, and every child should be vaccinated against this," Sabella said. "We start vaccinating against that early in life, and that works very, very well. But because the pneumococcal bacteria has so many different strains, we can't protect every strain with the vaccine that's currently available.”
